Page 65 of Just Say When

We dismounted and tied Ginger and Domino to a low-slung branch, then found a flat enough boulder along the river bank to make a good seat. The rock was cold as hell under our butts and we both laughed about that.

I was right about the sandwiches. Ted had made us each a six-inch sub stuffed with ham, turkey, provolone, peppers both hot and sweet, shredded lettuce, and mayo.

“Oh, man,” Jack moaned around an enormous bite. “This is delicious. What did he name it?”

Ted liked to name his creations. “Homecoming. In your honor, I assume.”

Jack’s mouth twisted. “There’s a saying about that.”

“Home is where the heart is?” I suggested.

He shook his head. “You can’t go home again.”

“I don’t like it.”

That look was on his face again. “I fucking hate it.”

I didn’t know what to say after that. I knew not to press. Jack would talk when he was ready—if he was even allowed to, which wasn’t very likely. So I did the only thing I could. I scooched closer until our shoulders bumped against each other and I let him be silent for a while.

We finished our sandwiches. There was also a container with four chocolate chip cookies, which I suspected came from James, since Ted wasn’t much of a baker. James made a batch every week for the ranch hands.

“So, you really went and married that jackass, huh?” Jack said, indicating that quiet time was over.

I raised a sardonic eyebrow. “If bythat jackass, you mean your childhood best friend, then yes. Yes, I really went and married him.”

Jack paused long enough that I wondered if he had decided to cut talking time short, but then he said quietly, “He was your friend, too.”

“Was he?” Damn, that came out more bitter than I intended. “I thought we were at the time. But we couldn’t have been that close, right? Because when he decided he was done with me, it came as a huge surprise. We never even had a fight. He just…wasn’t my friend anymore. He never even told me why. That’s not what real friends do.”

Jack took a swig of water and wiped his mouth on the back of his hand. “I’m sure he had his reasons.”

“Don’t defend him!” I tickled his rib and he laughed, swerving to defend himself. “He might be your best friend, but I’m your twin sister. You have to take my side.” I was laughing, too, but I was serious.

“I amalwayson your side,” he said in a tone that nearly vibrated with intensity. “No matter what.”

“Good. Because at the very least, he should have explained it to me. He should have had the courage to say to my face that we couldn’t be friends anymore, and he should have explained why. He owed me that much.”

Jack removed his ball cap and roughed a palm over his close-cropped hair. “Well, that’s the problem, Essie. He couldn’t have told you even if he wanted to.”

“What are you talking about?” I stared at my brother in utter confusion. “Why not?”

He paused for a beat, and then another one, twisting the brim of his hat in his hands while my heart twisted in my chest. Finally he looked me square in the eyes.

“Because he made me a promise.”

26

Essie

Brax was already home from work by the time I pulled my SUV into the garage. I glared at his truck parked on the curb, as though it were the source of all my rage, when really it was its owner. Normally I got home a couple hours before him, but he had taken to coming home early on Friday nights, in addition to working from home on Wednesdays.

I found him inside, sprawled on the couch, reading the book Hannah had lent me. I had feelings about that, but I would deal with that later. He was still in jeans, but barefoot, and he had traded his button-down and tie for a gray henley. Perfectly relaxed.

I put a stop to that immediately.

“What did you promise my brother, Brax?” I demanded, hands on hips.

He shot up like the couchwas on fire, the book tumbling from his hands. “Essie, now, wait a minute, okay? Before you go off half-cocked, let me explain.”

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